The Columbia County Planning Commission has voted to disapprove a proposed gas station in Appling, north of I-20 Exit 183.
GasWorld CEO Deep Patel had petitioned to rezone a two-acre parcel at 1535 Appling Harlem Road, from Residential Agricultural to Neighborhood Commercial, with plans to develop another location of the convenience store chain with fuel pumps.
The property sits opposite the intersection of Alliance Drive and Appling Harlem Road. To its west, across from Appling Harlem, is White Oak Business Park, where the Amazon Fulfillment Center is located.
Planning Manager Will Butler told the commissioners that both planning staff and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office had concerns about traffic issues.
Butler noted the inability of motorists driving south on Appling Harlem to turn left into the site, and the possibility that those turning right out of Alliance Drive may attempt to cross several lanes of traffic, or perform improper U-turns, to access the proposed fuel stop.
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He also said, however, that potential remedies for these issues would be reconfiguring the entrance to the site, such as installing a raised porkchop island or median. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) reviewed a nonbinding concept plan for the gas station, Butler said, but would have to review an engineered site plan before deciding a solution.
Patel also requested a variance to reduce the required separation between the building and residential lot lines, from 100 feet to 50 feet.
The subject property is surrounded on three sides by another parcel, also zoned Residential Agricultural, that is currently undeveloped. In the narrative accompanying the variance request, Patel notes that the store building and the fuel pumps themselves would be 100 feet from the surrounding property line.
He also observes that both parcels are in an Activity Center, or Employment Center, according to the county future development map, and thus suitable for commercial development. The planning staff acknowledged this, both in the staff report and during Thursday’s meeting.
Planning staff recommended approval for both requests. Patel asked that the items be postponed from the March 7 meeting. He had originally requested to postpone again to the April 4 meeting, said Butler, but Patel then told the commissioners he would like the items moved forward to the Board of Commissioners.
District 4 Planning Commissioner Ryan Cato motioned to recommend disapproval of both requests, and all present commissioners save Commissioner James Van Meter voted to deny. District 3 Commissioner Emory Holloway was absent.
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider the requests in its meeting on April 2.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
